A tried and tested creative pairing that goes together like hand and glove, science fiction andhorrorhave proved to be one of popular culture’s most successful genre combinations. Removing the bounds traditionally posed by logic and reality allows for a host of terrifying stories and scenarios that usually could never take place in the real world, yet these tales still maintain an air of blood-curdling authenticity that is often lost in fully-fledgedhorror movies. From classic standouts to more modern contenders, this brand of cinema has played host to some of thebest movies of all time.
The greatest sci-fi horror offerings in cinematic history encompass everything from jaw-dropping body horrors toterrifying movies set in outer space, highlighting the fact that there’s no set form for an iconic film of this ilk. This combination has been proven to work whether the premise revolves around a nightmarish alien, a supernatural phenomenon, or even advanced technology.
A mind-bending offering of the highest order fromEx Machinadirector Alex Garland,2018’sAnnihilationis based on Jeff VanderMeer’s novel of the same name.The film follows a group of researchers tasked with exploring the Shimmer; an alien phenomenon that results in a quarantined area of mutated flora and fauna. Boasting an ensemble cast led by Natalie Portman on top form,Annihilationdebuted to highly positive reviews, turning in an 88% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Annihilation Explained & 10 Major Questions Answered
The critically acclaimed sci-fi movie Annihilation explored complex themes that created seven major questions.
Maddeningly ambiguous at times, Garland’s trippy film will leave many viewers with more questions than answers, but remarkably, this doesn’t take away from the movie’s exemplary quality. An intensely cerebral film,Annihilationseamlessly juggles its deep dive into weighty psychological themes with an array of jaw-dropping visuals and some legitimately terrifying moments, never missing a beat as it does so. Audiences might not be quite sure what they have just witnessed when the credits roll onAnnihilation, but they certainly won’t be forgetting it in a hurry.
An acclaimed reboot of the 1933 film of the same name, Leigh Whannell’sThe Invisible Manlanded to a fanfare of positive critical reception upon release in 2020. Modernizing the eponymous character as an affluent engineer who uses a high-tech suit to render him invisible, the movie chronicles the titular villain’s despicable attempts to terrorize his former partner, brought to life in a visceral bow fromMad Menalum, Elisabeth Moss.
A superbly eerie and atmospheric offering, Whannell’s constant air of nail-biting tension delivers a white-knuckle watch for the ages. Moss particularly shines in the leading role, deftly balancing her character’s agonizing trauma with a steely disposition and resilience worthy of cinema’s most memorable female heroes. One of thebest horror movies of the 2020s,The Invisible Manis also notable for using its platform to draw attention to the fraught topics of gaslighting and domestic abuse, while simultaneously delivering a knockout viewing experience that thrills and horrifies in equal measure.
The third feature film from modern horror virtuoso Jordan Peele, 2022’sNopehas swiftly garnered a reputation as one of the greatest sci-fi horror movies ever made. While both of Peele’s previous outings had featured trappings of science fiction,Nopewas arguably the director’s first film to fully blend the genre with that of horror.The movie chronicles a series of phenomena brought about by"Jean Jacket,“a gargantuan predatory extraterrestrial terrorizing the skies over California.
Jordan Peele’s filmography by year
IMDb rating
7.8
6.8
Nope (2022)
Lending a new sense of scale and spectacle to his latest offering,Nopesees Peele at the top of his game while simultaneously implementing inspired new nuances. Exemplary cinematography and a superb score are complemented by the director’s trademark cutting social critique, even if Peele is considerably more restrained than he historically has been. Utilizing an array of memorable characters brought to life by excellent performances to carry the movie home,Nopeis a triumph of a modern sci-fi horror film.
Establishing John Krasinski as a director to be reckoned with and spawning a multi-film franchise, 2018’s sci-fi horrorA Quiet Placedepicts a world overrun by alienswith preternatural hearing, leaving humanity’s remnants to silently eke out whatever shadow existence they still can. Starring Krasinski alongside his real-life partner, Emily Blunt, the actor’s identity as a husband and father bleed into this iconic outing from the very get-go, culminating in one of the subgenre’s most emotionally loaded offerings.
Boasting a near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes approval rating of 96%,A Quiet Placeuses silence in a manner few modern movies have done. Watching the electrifying movie is akin to tiptoeing along a knife edge, with the constant sensation that the slightest deviation will bring instant calamity. Remarkably, Krasinski still manages to balance out this relentless tension and visceral intensity, highlighting the significance of love, loss, and family in a hauntingly poignant fashion.
Boasting a career-best performance from a resurgent Demi Moore, Coralie Fargeat’s sci-fi body horror,The Substance, was released to rave reviews in 2024. Earning five separate Oscar nominations despite horror’s traditional lack of recognition at the Academy Awards, the lauded movie follows Moore’s Elisabeth Sparkle, an aging former A-Lister who takes an experimental drug to create a younger version of herself with horrific side effects.
Best Original Screenplay
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Paying loving tribute to a host of sci-fi horror classics through an array ofEastereggs and references inThe Substance,The Substance’ssimmering cocktail of nightmarish visuals, cutting social commentary, and wickedly satirical black comedy make for a fantastic viewing experience. Despite the film’s status as a recent release, the quality of Fargeat’s masterful movie has been underlined bymany critics already labelingThe Substanceas one of the most ambitious and impressive body horrors ever conceived.
The second cinematic adaptation of Jack Finney’s 1955 novel,The Body Snatchers, 1978’sInvasion of the Body Snatchersis widely viewed as one of sci-fi horror’s preeminent offerings. The movie’s plot concerns an invasive alien race capable of replacing humans with an identical version of themselves, the only difference being that these clones are utterly devoid of empathy or emotion.
Invasion of the Body Snatchersclocks in with an approval rating of 93% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Much like many sci-fi horror classics of its ilk,Invasion of the Body Snatchersonly received middling reviews upon release, but it has subsequently gone on to attain iconic status among film buffs. Now regarded as one of the greatest remakes of all time, the movie’s premise, performances, and technical elements have aged like a fine wine. Philip Kaufman’s paranoia-soaked offering also boasts one of themore terrifying movie endingsin cinematic history, cementingInvasion of the Body Snatchers’status as a bona fide classic for the subgenre.
Widely regarded asDavid Cronenberg’s finest moviein a long and storied career, 1986’s legendary sci-fi horrorThe Flycenters on Seth Brundle, an eccentric scientist who is gradually transformed into a nightmarish human-fly hybrid after a failed experiment. Starring Jeff Goldblum, theJurassic Parkstar produces a knockout performance to lend devastating authenticity to his character’s descent into madness.
A testament to the dangers posed by scientific experimentation,The Flyis the ultimate cautionary sci-fi horror offering.
A testament to the dangers posed by scientific experimentation,The Flyis the ultimate cautionary sci-fi horror story. Visually speaking, it’s one of the most disturbing movies of all time, with the nightmarish Oscar-nominated effects used to bring Brundle’s mutated self to life lingering in the viewer’s mind long after the credits roll. Boasting an approval rating of 93% on Rotten Tomatoes, Cronenberg’s offering is also a surprisingly poignant one, withthe doomed romance between Brundle and Geena Davis' Ronnie rarely failing to tug on the audience’s heartstrings.
While 1979’sAlienmay be regarded by many as thefinest movie in theAlienseries, the success of 1986’sAlienslaunched the franchise into the mainstream stratosphere. Following Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley as she comes face to face with her tormentors from the original outing once again, James Cameron’s picture is an indispensable entry when it comes to discussing the greatest sci-fi horror films ever made.
Alien franchise entries by year
8.5
8.4
6.4
6.2
7.0
Alien: Romulus (2024)
7.1
One of thebest movie sequels of all time,Aliensis carried by an exemplary performance from Weaver. Breathing life into one of popular culture’s most iconic female movie heroes, the American even received an Oscar nomination for Best Actress at a time when the movie’s primary genres were traditionally overlooked by most critics.Aliens’seamless blend of white-knuckle action sequences and nerve-jangling horror also doesn’t hurt either, producing one of the most intense and visceral viewing experiences in cinematic history.
Featuring horror icon John Carpenter at his inimitable best, 1982’sThe Thingfollowsa mysterious extraterrestrial capable of assuming its victims' appearances.Set at a facility in Antarctica, the movie chronicles the plight of a group of researchers as they are terrorized by the entity. Lambasted by critics upon release,The Thingearned a cult following and is now regarded as one of the most celebrated and influential films of all time, irrespective of genre.
Debuting in 2011, a prequel movie of the same name starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Joel Edgerton was released to negative reviews.
Spearheaded by a masterful Kurt Russell performance,The Thingis notable for implementing an array of revolutionary practical effects to bring the monster to life. The movie’s horrifying visuals still make for legitimate nightmare fuel to this day, despite their outdated nature as of 2025. Leveraging the paranoia at the station to cultivate an unrelenting air of tension, the movie also possesses one of the mostambiguous cinematic endingsof all time, underlining its reputation as an indispensable classic in sharp relief.
Decades later, 1979’sAlienretains its status asthe greatest sci-fi horror movie of all time. Ridley Scott’s nightmarish first foray into the Xenomorphs' universe remains the quintessential blend of the two storied genres, sidestepping a mixed contemporary critical reception to earn modern classic status while simultaneously laying the foundations for a wildly successful franchise that is alive and well as of 2025.
Alien’s Most Important Deleted Scene Would’ve Changed The Franchise Forever (James Cameron’s Aliens Might’ve Never Happened)
One deleted scene from Alien (1979) would have changed Ridley Scott’s entire franchise and made Aliens, Prometheus, and Covenant nearly impossible.
Chronicling the plight of theNostromo’screw as they come into contact with the franchise’s signature predatory extraterrestrials,Alienis just as terrifying a watch as it was back in 1979. Exquisitely paced, loaded with engrossing performances, and positively dripping with claustrophobic tension, the movie’s practical effects and sets were also years ahead of their time, meaning that this masterful outing remains a timeless viewing experience to this day. A top-tier case study in suspense and unabatedhorror, the subgenre has yet to witness a movie that can rivalAlien.
